Honoring war dead now a crime

[Kerrytravelers]

"I will go to jail before I will pay a fine for displaying a sign that honors the war dead" --- Utah resident Mike Norton.


<http://michaelmoore.com/words/index.php?id=3078>
June 21st, 2005 2:45 pm




Honoring war dead now a crime
Layton changes ordinances regarding residential signs
By Paul Rolly / Salt Lake Tribune


Since Mike Norton, of Layton, began displaying the pictures of American soldiers killed in Iraq on an illuminated sign in his front yard, his home has been vandalized, cars have stopped in front of his home and honked horns in the early morning hours and he has received anonymous harassing phone calls.

<snip>

The sign currently contains 1,715 postage-stamp-sized pictures of each dead soldier that Norton downloads from CNN's Web site. The number is updated whenever there is a new casualty. Above the pictures is a large bold-faced headline denoting the latest number of Americans killed in Iraq. Next to the sign is an American flag.

Norton says that by day, many people, including veterans, stop by and thank him for keeping the sacrifices of the soldiers and their families in the public eye. But by night he is harassed by anonymous antagonists, including one who shined a spotlight into his 6-year-old daughter's window.

The letter, from Layton Assistant City Attorney Stephen Garside, said the city inspector who told Norton six months ago that his sign was OK used the wrong code section in reviewing the sign.

<snip>





Help me here. I thought we were proud of our soldiers. Why are we mad that their pictures are being shown at a memorial? Even in the parallel universe that houses freeper logic, this makes no sense.

[mike_c]

1. your first mistake...

...was expecting anything about the sheep to make sense....

[neuvocat]

2. But...but...I thought liberals didn't support the troops.

:shrug:

[zbdent]

9. You mean Phelps?

That Liberal?

(can't find the thread about how some RWnut idjit lumped Phelps' people with the "left" . . .)

[ixion]

3. Freepers glorify soldiers as living icons icons only

it seems that the truth is just a bit too much for these patriotic blowhards. :grr:

[librechik]

4. some people support BUsh but not the troops

it's that simple.

Pointing out the terrible cost of this folly calls attention to the flaws of Our Lord Jesus Bush. And that is not only treason, but blasphemy! (on Red State Planet)

[Miss Chybil]

17. Jesus Bush! LOL!

But, seriously, this story takes the cake. Freeping Idiots.

[Cha]

5. Those fascist lovers can't STAND

being reminded of how much their little War ON Iraq is costing in Blood & Treasure.

I would be so pissed if I were a loved one of one of the many killed in Iraq..they are trying to suppress what happened to the fallen Soldiers.

Hell, I'm Pissed, anyway!

[obxhead]

6. sheeple don't want you to see this.

part of that old:
see no evil, hear no evil thing

[Fridays Child]

7. I'd like to crochet your words on a pillow!

"Even in the parallel universe that houses freeper logic, this makes no sense."

[Kerrytravelers]

8. Feel free. I hold no copyright!

[wakeme2008]

10. Why does Stephen Garside Hate American

Why does Stephen Garside Hate Soldiers.

[efhmc]

25. Great cartoon. Gets straight to the point.

[Tempest]

11. Keep your eyes open for a legal fund to help support his cause

Let us know here on DU and contribute.

[leftchick]

12. proud when they kill ragheads

hide them when they are dead. It is the AmeriKan way.

:(

[Media_Lies_Daily]

13. If you can't take pictures of the incoming dead soldier's coffins....

...which by the way, come in by night, it stands to reason that the NeoCons wouldn't like this either.

Sounds like somebody with some NeoCon clout paid a visit to City Attorney Garside.

[EST]

14. The thugs are all pro-life.

If you're dead, they ain't pro-you.

[warsager]

15. great point

these people are such hypocrites. It makes me sick.

[EST]

23. Bet you've been sick a lot, lately.

I know I have.

[efhmc]

16. I recommended this for front page.

It is important for others to see how little these men and women are being honored.

[Redstone]

18. Of COURSE the ones who harass him only do it at night...

They're the kind of freeper cowards we're all so familiar with.

Big men, who talk big bluster, as long as they're behind a keyboard, or under the cover of darkness, opr harassing a six-year-old girl. Will ONEof them be man enough to say something to this guy in the light of day?

Even one? I'm waiting...

Didn't think so.

Redstone

[Celeborn Skywalker]

28. How much you wanna bet

the nighttime harassers were Republican chicken-hawks? I bet it's not veterans behaving this way.

[Redstone]

30. Of course not. They're all pissant cowards, not vets.

Redstone

[number6]

19. kick

vote this one to greatest page ....;)

[Gman]

20. As I've always said: Freepers are sneaky chcken shits

they'd rather do things like harassing anonymous calls, or shine lighs into 6 year old's rooms at night. When the light comes on they run like cockroaches. They have no guts whatsoever. They talk big but run and hide.

[gordianot]

21. There is one step that is worse than the few idiots who are harassing .

That is when/if they are lying about the actual numbers killed by hostile fire. My understanding is they do not add deaths due to accidents, illness.

Casualties occur just by having troops deployed. Reporting the number of troops killed (aka friction) gives the opponent/enemy knowledge as to how effective their tactics are working. Unfortunately lying has not been a good option in a supposedly open and Democratic America.


This sounds like a good idea I may do the same thing in my yard even if the official numbers are not accurate.

[LiberalAndProud]

22. It is unpatriotic to count the cost. Ask Ted Koppel. /nt

[NVMojo]

24. Rightwing whacks don't like their crimes stuck out in the light of day!

[noamnety]

26. the inspector "used the wrong code"

(meaning the one that applies to Bush supporters, instead of the one that applies to liberals.)

[Karenina]

27. Kick!

:kick:

[LynneSin]

29. It's ironic that those who compliment the sign do it to his face...

..and those who hate the sign do it anonymously in the middle of the night where their identities can't be determined.

It's so easy to support this illegal war when you're just a faceless person in the crowd

[Mike Norton]

31. This is my memorial and I talked to the Mayor about it today...

First of all, let me tell you that the Mayor of Layton is a massive tool. He was DAMN rude to me and told me that if I went to the national media about this that I would look like a Jackass.

I said, "Uh..have you NOT been seeing the coverage on this issue?" Keep in mind that 3 of the 4 major news stations in SLC have run stories on this and there have been articles in the three largest newspapers in the State. ALL of the articles and stories have made Layton City authorities look like bullies for giving me crap about my memorial.

The Mayor was amazingly clueless. I think that he really believes that he has a lot of support on this issue. He does not.

I've decided that I'm probably going to run for City Council this November. There will be three seats coming up for re-election and MY campaign starts NOW.

[Tommymac]

32. You sir are a Patriot.

God Bless you for honoring the dead.

Please keep us updated about this issue...I for one will have your back on this as best I can from 2000 miles away.

[Outrider]

33. Good luck n/t

[MGKrebs]

34. Give us an update when you get a campaign set up.

I've got some money burning a hole in my pocket for somebody just like you.

Never surrender.

I was having a bad day until I read this.

[FormerOstrich]

35. Mike,

Thank you very much. This is a great idea (I always wonder why I never have great ideas...they seem so simple when presented to me). I think we should all start a similar display. I think I will add the $s spent as well. Plus, we should be renting billboards and other public display areas.

I lived in SLC for eight years. It was an experience!

Good Luck on your run for city council. I'll back you any way possible!!

[ninkasi]

36. You do right to honor the dead

and to keep them in our thoughts. The mayor sounds like an ignorant asshole. We're with you all the way on this. Good luck, and keep DU posted on what happens.

[NMDemDist2]

37. welcome to DU Mike

and good luck on your campaign!

[enigmatic]

38. You're a hero, Mike

We need more like you:)

[Catchawave]

39. You have alot of support here....

...keep on keeping on :patriot:

[tanyev]

40. THANK YOU, MIKE!!!

And welcome to DU.

:yourock:

[Oversea Visitor]

42. Go Kick his ass

But sir l am going to the national media and I am sure someone will look like a Jackass. :evilgrin:

[tabasco]

43. I'm a vet and I think what you are doing is great.

It's nice that someone is trying to display the costs of war.

Thank you.

:toast:

[Maine-ah]

41. there is a home up here that has displayed

little bright orange flags in their front yard, one for each military death. They have no front yard left, it's all orange flags. I get goosebumps everytime I pass by.

http://www.villagesoup.com/Community/story.cfm?storyid=24634&CFID=2161310&CFTOKEN=25416117

edited to add link to story of orange flags, it's kind of an old story, as you will be able to tell the body count is only at 913.